NZDA, Taupo 3 March

Why is it that whenever I go to anything at the Taupo motorsport park I come home sunburned? Usually because the weather hates me. Another sunny but cold windy day for the NZDA event, we headed to Taupo late Sunday morning to see what we could find, the previous days racing had been cancelled so to be honest we were a bit sceptical. But of course there was a decent turn out and a good days drag racing ahead to watch.

Taupo has great facilities, we are so lucky in NZ that things seem to be so casual with the public being able to confidently walk through the pit area and catch up with friends who have entered or go through and get closer looks at the cars. Make the most of it id say cause it will change eventually I could bet on it!

Photos thanks to my boyfriend Michael, Its a team effort he takes the pics, i edit and post them. (Cause i suck with the camera lol). More on the facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Purple-Bit/288779467824076

Check it, like it, share it, follow it!

Tokoroa Drag Day 19 Feb

Another hot Sunday at the Tokoroa Air Strip. A great turn out made it a fun day with plenty of entertainment, from street cars to full on drag cars it was a great day out.

I got the chance to enter Michaels V8 Commodore - why the hell not! My bestie Sarah jumped in the passenger seat with me, I tested my burnout skills then planted my foot when the light went green and off we went laughing like teenagers all the way to the end. I got a few runs in, practices and somehow I managed to win one and get through to the qualifying round but that was it. My times aren't even really worth mentioning and my burnouts even worse but hey, I had fun—and at the end of the day that’s the main thing.

Heres some photos of the day, 

Michaels dad Wayne entered his WB ute

Aside from a pro like me there were plenty of others that did well, Sarahs dad Ian Metz is a regular at Tok aswell as other tracks with his supercharged monster of a drag car.

These pics make me laugh—the ‘Digger’ dragster is loud! Notice the people all have their ears covered? Check out the cows in the background …. Just munching away like nothings going on. Id say they must be used to sharing their farm with a few loud cars by now!

Photos thanks to my boyfriend Michael Proffitt, NB - the amateur editing, yup - thats all me haha. Find more photos on the facebok page here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.340719782630044.74704.288779467824076&type=1#!/pages/Purple-Bit/288779467824076

Check it, like it, share it, follow it!

Purple Garage: P1

Hey! Welcome to my first 'Purple Garage' post! These are for the girls, some of you probably already know the things that will be written in here but a lot wont. So lets go over the basics of what’s going on under the hood of your car in a language we can understand!

We all seem to take our cars for granted these days, we forget that when we get into our car even if it is an old absolute hunk of sh*t we are in fact driving quite a smart piece of machinery and its how we drive and maintain them as to how well they preform for us.

LESSON #1 - The basic bits in your engine...

The Piston 
A sliding piece of metal that moves up and down the cylinder. 

Valves
One side being the Exhaust Valves and the other being the intake Valves.
Intake Valves - The part of the cylinder that allows the air / fuel mix inside the chamber. 
Exhaust Valves - The part of the cylinder that releases the used fumes from the chamber. 


Internal Combustion Chamber 
The enclosed space created when the pistons move down the cylinder, which encloses the explosions created by the ignited fuel. 


The Spark Plug 
Produces the spark which ignites the air/fuel mix. 


The Crankshaft 
The piece that rotates to make the pistons move up and down inside the cylinder.


The Camshaft
Opens the Intake and exhaust valves


Timing belt (Cam Belt)
Connects the Crankshaft to the Camshaft so as the Crankshaft moves the Camshaft opens and closes the valves at the right time.


Alternator 
Works with the battery to power the electrical components of your car.

Distributor 
Spreads electricity to the proper cylinder. Not all cars have these, although most older cars will. 




Like I said - a lot of you probably already know this but for those that don't I'm starting from the beginning. Hope at least one of you out there learnt something. 


Staci <3 


Share the facebook page!
Check it, Like it, Share it, Follow it
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cduceu-The-Low-Down/288779467824076








Info from - Essential Car Care for Girls book, How stuff works website.

Im Baaccck!

Ok so it's been like a month since I posted but what can I say, I'm a busy person hehe, what with getting a tattoo on my butt for charity and all.... (JOKE!)

I hope you all had amazing holidays and are settling back into work just as well as I am. We didn't get up to a lot, went out on the boat a couple of times and generally just laxed out.

I have to say it feels a bit strange not having to rush around getting everything ready for the Nats this year, normally id be stressing out major by now. Instead of the nats I plan to enjoy the weekend (always my birthday weekend) not 100% sure on what ill be doing yet, if its a nice weekend might go out on the boat but otherwise I'd like to end up at the drags on the 29th.

Michael and I will be off to Christchurch tomorrow for a bit of sight seeing but mainly to head to their speedway track with the sprint car. I'm a bit nervous of old Christchurch, not been there since the quakes, going to be in for a surprise at what I see no doubt. 

In the mean time my 1st 'Purple Garage' post will be online tonight for you all (just have to get the BF to check I'm not telling you all lies). A garage lesson for the girls, may as well start with the basics so I know whats going on when my lovely Mercedes starts to come apart.

I'll let you know how my trip goes next week and share some pic's I take at the speedway! 

Have a great week!

Staci <3 

Check the facebook page - Check it, Like it, Share it, Follow it!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cduceu-The-Low-Down/288779467824076

PS,  Running a comp for who can send the most people to like the facebook page if I hit 100 likes at the end of the month ill go shopping at Mad Soundz Tauranga for a wee giveaway for the winner! Will run the comp till 31st Jan.